The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1887-04-07
WASHINGTON LETrER.


Secretary Whitney has placed
another brilliant feather in the cap
of this Administration. Probably
no Democrat, not even Samuel J.
Tildon while living, ever received
such unstin'ed praise from the Re
publican press as has been shower
81 upon him during the past week.
Nothing has been done by any
member Of Mr.. Cleveland's Cabinet
since it was organized more calcu-
lated to win popularity than is the
act Of the Secretary ofthe Navy by
which the work Of fortifying our
seaports and building ironclads is
established on solid foundation.
From every side his energy and
sagacity is applauded, the work he
has done TO beguile bidders to ac-
oopt offered terms, and the ability
he exhibits in directing thegeneral
work Of his Department. It really
looks too as if the name Of Mr..
Whitney would be assbciated in
history with the building Of the
American Navy. The response to
him was so prompt that the work
Of fitting up the Washington Navy
Yard as an ordnance factory for
the assembling and completion Of
heavy guns and steel forgings, viii
be begun soon and rapidly carried
forward. Nee less delays can be
avoided because it is shown tba.
tho gun forgings and armor plates
cah be furnished in much shorter
tine than was supposed.
For more than eighteen months
Secretary Whitney has been indus
triously devising the means that
make success possible. He has
been studying the conditions Of the
problem-de observation-disclosures Of
defensive armor, gauging the inn
pact Of projectiles, fixing on tests
by which the Department will be
governed, and making the induce
ments as attractive as possible.
Since all the iron foundries Of
tho country are pressed with un-
fulfilled engagements for months
ahead, at high prices, somesurprise
was was expressed that there
should have been a single bid for
the millions of dollars worth of
work that was proposed. But the
the proprietor of the Bethlehem
company foresaw that the boom
would not last, and that It would
pay TO work for Uncle Sam even
on more reasonable terms, because
his job would last for a decade or
so, both summer and winter, and
his pay is sure.
It is TO be hoped that there will
be no more lamentations for the
present over the failure of the Ma
val bills. Atleast Secretary Whit
ney is satisfied with the outlook.
He says the problem which puzzled
everybody is solved, and that the
work Of fortifying coasts and equip
ping ships is in just as good shape
as it would have been ifthe Senate
bills had become laws.
Since I wrote you the long dis
cussed Interstate Commerce Com
mission has been completed, an
nounced, commented upon, approx
ed-and now it is about to organ
ize and 20 work. The five lawyers
composing it, and who represent
the States of Alabama, Illinois,
Michigan, New York and Vermont,
are practically placed in charge Of
private property valued at about
seven thousand million dollars.
This tremendous responsibility is
greatly increased when it is remem-
bercd that almost the entire inter-
commerce OF the country is affected
by the action Of this new court.
No one doubts the honesty Of
the members composing the Com
mission, and they are all conceded
to be men Of ability but their labors
will be complex and comprehen-
sive, the new law is a vast problem ;
every feature of its operations more
or less porilous, and whatever is